


Taming a Lion

by Pokeluv101



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-11-01 23:14:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20540750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokeluv101/pseuds/Pokeluv101
Summary: Mahiru is a lion tamer but he has trouble with a lazy lion. (KuroMahi, Fantasy/Circus AU)





	1. Chapter 1

Mahiru walked past the lion cages at the circus until he saw a large, black lion. He had never seen one with a black coat before. Without fear and hesitation, he walked to the cage to study it closer. He was immediately jerked back by a man. “You shouldn’t go any closer to that thing. We haven’t been able to train it no matter what we try. It just laze about all day.”

He gasped when the man took out a whip and started to strike the bars. Mahiru instinctively pushed the man away to stop him. He placed himself between the man and the lion so he couldn’t hurt him again. The cage’s bars already blocked the whip but Mahiru didn’t move. “You can’t hurt that lion for doing nothing. There are ways to tame and train a lion without violence. I’m a lion tamer too.”

“This is the only way to communicate with a wild animal.” The man argued. “You’ll get yourself killed if you treat that thing like a stray cat.”

“Lions can be dangerous creatures but violence won’t help! It will only strain the situation until someone gets hurt. If you have given up training him, then give him to me. How much do you want for him?” Mahiru was afraid the man would continue to abuse the lion after he left. The only solution he could think of was to buy the lion and take him to the circus he worked at.

After he negotiated a price with the man, Mahiru stepped into the cage. He stood in the corner so he wasn’t invading the black lion’s territory. The lion didn’t move from its pile of hay but watched Mahiru warily. As slowly as he could, he walked to the lion until he was standing before it. He carefully took off the collar chaining it to the cage. “It’s okay. I’m going to take you to a circus that will treat you better.”

Once he saw that the lion was docile, Mahiru stroked its dark mane. He smiled kindly and said, “He didn’t tell me what your name is. Do you mind if I gave you one? Oh, I know! I should name you Kuro because of your black fur. What do you think of the name?”

The lion couldn’t answer him and merely returned to sleep.

* * *

“Thinking simply, I had to buy him, Misono! That man was whipping the lion even though he didn’t do anything. Kuro was clearly being abused at that other circus. Please, give me a month with him and see where that goes. If I can’t train him, we’ll arrange for him to return to the safari. Either way, he will have a good home.” Mahiru begged his friend. “This will be good for the circus too.”

“How do you always talk me into adopting more lions? I told you to stop going to other circuses to see their lions. What they do isn’t our concern. You should call the humane society instead of adopting them. We can only keep so many lions.” He owned a circus and Mahiru worked as their lion tamer. Misono thought of him more as a friend than an employee though.

“Thank you, Misono!” He hugged his friend before he returned to the lion cage he moved Kuro into. He thought that it would be best to wait before he introduced him to the other lions. Since Kuro was a male lion, the others might be threatened by him. The cage he gave him was large but Kuro stayed in the corner. Mahiru reached through the bars to pet his back.

Kuro watched him cautiously but he didn’t growl or move. His red eyes were intriguing to Mahiru and he wondered how he had such unique features. “You’re going to be a part of the family now and we’ll treat you better than your previous circus. I promise, Kuro. I hope you like us. The next stop we have, you can come out and roam around a little. You’ll have to wear a collar until you’re fully trained.”

Throughout the drive, Mahiru sat in the truck and spoke with Kuro. He knew lions couldn’t understand him but he wanted Kuro to be more comfortable with him. He sat outside of the cage for his safety but he would occasionally reach his hand inside to pet him. Mahiru tilted his head back to watch the clouds and he thought that it was a shame Kuro couldn’t see it too.

He did his best to be as humane with the animals as he could. Luckily, Misono was wealthy and he provided the best accommodation for the lions. Mahiru was proud of his work at his circus even though most would look down at him. He remembered the first time his mother took him to a circus and the joy of that day. He wanted to recreate that day for other families. His uncle supported his dream and he would visit the circus whenever they were in his hometown.

The truck pulled over into a vacant field and Mahiru jumped over the side. He landed safely and he went to the back of the truck to lower the ramp. Mahiru opened the cage door but Kuro didn’t move towards him. To draw him out, he attached a slab of meat onto a string and threw it towards him. Like a fish to bait, Kuro followed the meat outside.

“You can eat out here until it’s your turn for a walk.” Mahiru told him when he reached the grass. He attached Kuro’s chain to the truck. He told the other performers to keep their distance from him until he was properly trained. While Kuro showed no sign of aggression, it was best to be cautious. He was careful to wash his hands of the smell of meat before he went to the other lions.

He let each lion walk around the area to stretch their legs and exercise. A few workers set up a large cage nearby where he could train lions and practise their routine. He waved to the performers as they passed. Working for the circus involved a lot of driving with short breaks. It was difficult at times but travelling together brought everyone closer.

He ushered the lions into the practise cage and then he went to Kuro. He unhooked the chain and he intended to walk him around the cage. “Let’s go, Kuro. I’ll introduce you to the others and you can watch the routine we already have. I’m sure we can find a place for you in it. Maybe you’ll enjoy climbing or the tricks. A strong lion like you will probably be a great jumper too.”

Mahiru stopped when the chain became stiff and pulled him back. He looked over his shoulder to Kuro who refused to stand. The chain was pulled from his hands as the black lion gathered them in a pile. He sat on them and promptly fell asleep in the shade of the truck. With his hands on his hip, Mahiru stood over him. “Bad, Kuro. You can’t play with your chain like that.”

Kuro growled but Mahiru managed to take the chain back. “Even if you don’t want to participate, you have to behave. We can’t have you wandering off and cause a panic. You can rest here for today but it’s important you interact with the other lions. They need to be comfortable with a new lion in their pack.”

In answer, Kuro rolled onto his back. Mahiru reached out to rub his stomach but the lion growled at him. He took his hand back and said, “I won’t hurt you. I want to work with you so please trust me. Even if you can’t trust me right away, at least give me a chance.”

* * *

A week had passed and Mahiru started to believe that training Kuro was impossible. No matter what he used to bribe the lion, he would merely ignore him and sleep in the shade. Mahiru would never resort to violence though. He sighed to himself as he walked to the lion cages to check on them before he went to sleep himself. They stopped for the night to camp and he let the lions sleep in their larger cages so they would be more comfortable.

He counted the lions until he reached Kuro’s cage. Mahiru panicked when he saw that it was empty. He shined his flashlight over the cage but he couldn’t find the large lion. The lock was still in place so he couldn’t have escaped. He immediately opened the cage and stepped inside to search for clues. He walked to the spot Kuro would sleep and found a man sitting there.

“Who are you?” His scream woke the stranger. He sat up sharply and they stared at each other for a moment. Mahiru was the first to break the silence. “What did you to Kuro? If you hurt him in any way or sold him to a poacher, I’ll…”

Mahiru’s tirade trailed off because he wasn’t good at making threats. He didn’t know who the man was but the only important thing to him was finding Kuro. The man didn’t show any emotion as he shrugged. “I don’t know where your lion is. I opened the cage and let him out. This cage looked cozy so I decided to rest here for a while. I intended to leave before sunrise but I’ll do that now.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Mahiru stepped in front of the door and blocked his path. His story was confusing. He claimed he set Kuro free yet the cage was locked when Mahiru arrived. Even though he didn’t know if he could trust the stranger, he said: “You’re going to help me find Kuro. What direction did he go when you opened the cage? He’s lazy so he couldn’t have gone far.”

“Why don’t you just call animal control?” He suggested but Mahiru shook his head.

“They’ll shoot him. Kuro isn’t violent but they won’t know that. We have to find him first. I don’t want anything to happen to him or pedestrians. You let him out so you’re responsible for this. Help me and I won’t press any charges against you.” His brown eyes were determined and earnest. The man sighed and pointed towards the fields.

Mahiru took his arm and dragged him in the direction he pointed to. Since his coat was black, it would be difficult to find Kuro. He mimicked animals in the hopes of drawing him back. He slowly waved his flashlight over the field but he could only see tall grass and trees. “Where could he have gone?”

“What are you going to do when you find him?” The man asked and Mahiru looked up at him. Despite the late hour, he was able to see his red eyes with the moonlight. They were oddly familiar. “What if that lion attacks you? You can’t force it back to its cage all by yourself.”

“I’m more worried that he will wander into traffic and get hit.” Mahiru took out the needle from his pocket and handed it to the man. “This is a tranquilizer. I keep it with me in case one of the lions attack. You might need this if you don’t have much experience with lions. You let one out of its cage without the proper safety precautions, after all.”

“Have you ever used this on a lion before?” He asked.

“Just once,” Mahiru said sadly and lowered his flashlight. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Those other lions seem to like you so I can’t imagine one of them attacking you. You’re the only tamer I know who doesn’t whip their animals. The way you use a wand to instruct them is more like a magician.” The man’s comment made Mahiru pause. How could he know so much about him? He couldn’t have stalked their circus because one of the many performers would’ve noticed him.

His red eyes were so distinct that Mahiru was certain he would remember if they met before. He couldn’t think of anyone with his eye colour. Something clicked in his mind. He walked to the man who also took a step back until his back hit a tree. Mahiru places his hands above his shoulders and looked into his red eyes. “Kuro? Is that you?”

“This is going to be troublesome.” The man pulled off his hood to reveal furry ears. “How did you know?”

* * *

Mahiru sank onto his bed with a warm cup of tea in his hand. Across from him, Kuro sat on a chair. It was still surreal that the lion he adopted was a man who could shape shift. They returned to his trailer to talk but Mahiru didn’t know where to start. He could only stare at the human Kuro before him.

“You can transform from a lion to a human and back. Why didn’t you do that sooner to escape?” Mahiru decided to ask first.

“A year ago, these men shot and captured me thinking that I was a lion. I was too hurt to transform and escape. It wasn’t until you saved me that I could recover enough to return to my human form.” He explained and sympathy filled Mahiru’s expression. Kuro didn’t admit that he stayed long after he fully healed. He was kind to him and the circus treated him well.

“I don’t know how I can tell Misono you escaped without him thinking I’m crazy. This is a lot to take in.” Mahiru groaned to himself. He rubbed his temple to dull the headache he felt growing.

His trailer shifted when Kuro transformed into a lion. He rested his head on his lap. He knew that Kuro transformed to comfort him after he whispered, “Is this better?”

“It’s not right to keep you in your lion form and perform for us. I can’t ask you to do that. I’ll find a way to explain how Kuro the Lion suddenly disappear, don’t worry.” Mahiru ran his fingers through his mane. His fur was warm and soft and he leaned into it. “You can stay in your human form now. What will you do after you leave?”

“I don’t know.” He admitted. Kuro returned to his human form and sat next to him. He pulled his hood over his head to hide his ears. His eyes fell onto the photos taped to a mirror. Mahiru looked happy with his lions and the other circus members around him. It was nice to be part of that family for a while but he would have to leave now that Mahiru knew the truth.

One of the pictures was different from the others though. Mahiru was dressed as a magician. “You look younger in that photo.”

“Before I joined Misono’s circus, I worked at another one. I loved magic as much as I enjoy lion taming. I had to leave though.” Mahiru lifted his shirt and Kuro could see a scar on his waist. From the pattern, he knew that it was made by a lion’s claws. “A man was whipping a lion and I went to stop him. The lion lashed out at both of us. That was the first time I had to tranquilize a lion.”

Kuro knew how much Mahiru cared for animals so it must’ve been difficult for him. He took the top hat sitting on the dresser and place it on his head. “You’re a good tamer and the animals like you. The circus doesn’t have a magician so you can take that role. You did say you like performing magic.”

“I still remember some tricks.” He took off his hat and pulled a bouquet of flowers out of them. Mahiru handed them to Kuro. “But who would take care of the lion? None of the other performers have experience with lions. I love my job and that memory doesn’t affect me anymore.”

“I can be the lion tamer for you.” Kuro’s words surprised both of them. “This circus is nice and I was hoping I could stay. I’m able to talk to lions so I’ll be better at training them than you.”

“Hey, I’m pretty good.” Mahiru pouted and Kuro chuckled at his expression. He looked up at him and asked, “You mentioned that the other lions talked about me. What did they say exactly? I’m a little curious.”

“They call you Mama.” He lied to tease him. Mahiru didn’t seem to believe him as he rolled his eyes. His brown eyes tugged on his heart and he had to be honest. “They consider you a part of their pride.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Kuro will be the leader of your routine now.” Mahiru told the lions. He sat in the practise cage with the animals and they purred. He thought they sounded a little sad and reassured them. “I’ll play with you guys during my breaks. I have to help Kuro learn the routine so we’ll still spend a lot of time together. Kuro is a gentle man so you’ll be in good hands.”

Next to him, Kuro made a loud growl and Mahiru assumed that Kuro was translating his words. He still thought that it was surreal that the black lion he adopted was a shapeshifter. Kuro could speak with animals and offered to become the circus’s new lion tamer. He was surprised when he offered to be the lion tamer so he could be a magician.

The lions nestled against him and Mahiru pet them gently. Kuro stroked their mane as well and their fingers brushed in the fur. Mahiru blushed and took his hand back. “The lions said they will miss you. They don’t like me much. They think I’m kicking you out of the pride.”

“The lions will warm up to you.” Mahiru loved animals and he would miss training with them as well. Yet, had the opportunity to become a magician again. He told himself he could play with them between practise. He glanced to Kuro who sat among the lions. Mahiru couldn’t help but notice how strong he appeared. “It’s lucky Misono believed our story.”

They told Misono that the black lion escaped and Mahiru was forced to send him back to Africa. Then, Kuro pretended to be an old friend who needed a job. Misono trusted Mahiru but he didn’t hire him immediately. He gave Kuro a week with the lion to make a routine before he made a decision. Mahiru asked, “Do you have any ideas for your new lion tamer routine?”

“I was going to have them do something similar to yours. They already know it well and I don’t have to teach them anything new.” Kuro shrugged.

“Kuro, please don’t tell me that you intend to just sit and give orders to the lions. You’re an important part of the performance and you need to play it up for the crowd. I know you’re not the most animated person but please try.” Mahiru stood and walked to chest nearby. He put on a top hat and grinned to Kuro. “Let me show you how it’s done.”

Mahiru flipped the chest over and stepped onto it. He used the small space as a platform and leaned over Kuro. They were close yet only Kuro seemed to notice and blush. He clapped his hand and rubbed them together. Playing cards fluttered down from his closed hands and landed on the ground between them. “Oh my, it seems I have dropped my cards. May you please collect them and shuffle them for me? Feel free to examine them and see that they’re all different and there’s no tricks.”

Kuro gathered the cards and he looked them over carefully. They appeared to be regular playing cards and he began to shuffle them. He took a card from the deck and asked, “Are you going to guess what card I have in my hands right now?”

Mahiru stepped down from the box and walked to him. He cupped Kuro cheek briefly before he moved his hand through his hair. Kuro was too distracted by his touch to realize that he pulled out a piece of paper from behind his ear. He unfolded the paper to reveal his card written. “Is this your card, Kuro?”

He looked from his card to the slip of paper. He couldn’t answer him immediately because he was mystified by the magic trick. Kuro didn’t see him write anything and he couldn’t possibly made it beforehand. Mahiru took the card from him and a smile slowly grew on his lips. “The King of Beasts choose the card king of hearts. Isn’t it ironic? Now, give me your hands.”

“Okay.” He held out his hands to him. Mahiru ripped the paper and placed them on his palm. He placed his hands around his and rubbed them together. When he took his hand back, Kuro found that the ripped pieces were one again. He unfolded the paper and there was a lion drawn on it now. “You need to tell me how you can make anything appear on this paper.”

“A magician never reveals his secrets.” Mahiru placed his finger on Kuro’s lips. He took his hand back and sat back on the ground with Kuro. He practised a few more slight-of-hand tricks and made a small ball float. The lions joined their circle and watched his small performance. “You’re the one who can do real magic so this might not seem like much.”

“Do you often do things like touching other people during your performances?” Kuro didn’t know why he felt a little jealous when he thought of Mahiru with his hand in another man’s hair.

“Only in the personal performances I do for my friends. I can’t do slight-of-hand tricks like this when I perform for a big crowd. Usually, I focus on summoning or levitation tricks.” Mahiru threw a ball into the air and laughed when the lions rushed to grab it. They almost piled on top of Mahiru’s lap but Kuro pulled him away. “Thanks for the rescue. These guys like to play rough sometimes.”

“The only person they listen to is you.” Kuro said but the lions obediently moved to sit next to them after he growled at them. He petted the lion that rested its head on his lap. “I don’t know if I can be a showman like everyone in this circus. Maybe we didn’t think through this.”

“Thinking simply, we should make a routine you’re comfortable with and bring out your personality. We can’t give up so easily.” He thought that Kuro had an allure that would make his performance engaging. Mahiru took out a notepad so they could write a few ideas. He leaned against Kuro’s arm and said, “Let’s start with listing all the trick the lions know and then arrange them into an act.”

“Hey, I have an idea for a routine Kuro could do!” They looked up when Tsurugi jumped in front of them. Mahiru wondered if he overheard them or if he had been eavesdropping the entire time. “Why don’t you combine a lion taming act led by Kuro with a magic act Mahiru does?”

“That’s actually a good idea.” He was surprised by the suggestion. For the past day, he had been teasing him about Kuro. He hadn’t told Kuro about that though. Tsurugi was like a brother to him and he knew he cared. Mahiru placed the notebook on his knees and doodled the stage on the paper. “I can summon our lions and that will lead to Kuro’s routine. I might need to purchase a larger trick box to do that though.”

“If you two are going to be partners, I think you two need a themed costume.” Tsurugi took the notepad from him.

“I already have a lion tamer costume so I can make a similar costume for Kuro. Or maybe a lion costume. What are you drawing, Tsurugi?” He returned the notebook to him and Mahiru blushed. He didn’t let Kuro see it and whispered to Tsurugi, “Why did you draw us a bride and groom? Focus on helping us make a routine.”

“Just keep my suggestion in mind. Maybe Kuro will like it.” Tsurugi patted his shoulder before he left.

“What did he draw?” Kuro was curious about the slight blush Mahiru had. He didn’t show him the notebook and turned to a new page instead.

“It’s nothing. I think this lion costume will be fitting for the King of the Beasts. Now, let’s get back to your routine.” Mahiru liked being a magician but there was another reason he wanted Kuro to join the circus. He enjoyed spending time with him and he wanted to get to know him more.


End file.
